Iraya Mangyan REDD+ Programme Protects Forests While Carbon Revenue Remains Pending

The Mindoro Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Programme combines Indigenous patrols, ancestral-domain rights, carbon monitoring and livelihoods across more than 40,000 hectares, with about 2,500 Iraya Mangyan households in scope.

Led by the Center for Conservation Innovations Philippines, the 2020 to 2049 programme partly covers the Puerto Galera Biosphere Reserve. Its REDD+ design seeks to connect forest protection with community governance.

Protected areas and patrols may not stop logging, mining and encroachment when tenure and livelihood pressure remain unresolved. A carbon programme that advances accounting while delaying benefit sharing can also repeat broken promises to Indigenous people.

Trained patrollers send geolocated threat reports, community nurseries raise native species and the programme supports delineation of two ancestral domains. It currently employs 108 community members in patrol, nursery and coordination roles.

Local officials report that small-scale mining and timber poaching fell from near-daily events to minimal levels, while surveys recorded 517 species. Two nurseries had produced about 14,000 to 15,000 seedlings by July 2026. These early reported results still need consistent methods and external assurance.

Carbon revenue has not begun, the benefit-sharing agreement is unsigned, and registration and independent verification remain pending. REDD+ governance must therefore evaluate rights, livelihoods, culture, water and carbon together.

SNN editorial analysis: Evidence for community nature projects should include free, prior and informed consent, land boundaries, patrol logs, species data, revenue allocation and grievance channels. Forecast carbon income must not be presented as delivered benefit.

Next checks should cover the benefit-sharing agreement, registration and verification, stable worker income, carbon-revenue timing, community-led governance and long-term forest and water measurements.